I Will Always Find You
by megijen123
Summary: "Elide, my darling girl. It's time to come home." (OR what if Vernon doesn't go down without a villainous, manipulative fight). KOA what if scenario.
1. Prologue: My Darling Girl

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the _Throne of Glass _series or any of the wonderful characters and stories told by the lovely Sarah J. Maas.

**Summary:** "Elide, my darling girl. It's time to come home." (OR what if Vernon doesn't go down without a villainous, manipulative fight). KOA what if scenario.

**A/N: Here we go again. I think Vernon is absolutely the worst and this scenario popped into my mind, so I decided to shake it out and play for a while. Thanks for coming along for the ride :)**

* * *

**Prologue: My Darling Girl**

Standing at the cliffside look down the valley, he smiled. Their army was coming. He turned to the creature beside him and said, "it seems Erawan's plan may be coming together." The creature said nothing, only bowing its head in response. "Now we wait. They will leave her unprotected. Fools."

* * *

Vernon had heard about what happened at the beach in Eyllwe. And across the sea in Doranelle. The actions that had ultimately driven Maeve back to her kind. To Erawan. Yet despite the Fire Queen's escape and her armies rallying, he saw his opportunity in this war. True, Aelin had faced an army at Anielle, but Vernon had wagered she would find success there and continue the march north. Which she had. So when he presented his audacious scheme Erawan only said, "Do it now."

"Consider it done my Lord."

Seeing the weakness in his opponents and then being unafraid to act on it is how he had managed to survive. Where others stopped short he only saw the next step in the climb to power. He looked at Aelin and saw her weakness. Unlike the Fae Queen, who had not understood or been able to bend Aelin to her will. He knew the Fire Queen's true weakness- and he planned to mock her for it.

* * *

So he had left Morath for the Ferian Gap. Weeks ago. He proceeded to empty the Gap, sending the witches to Terrasen after Aelin's stand at Anielle was successful. Unleashed them to do what they will in Perranth, then on to Orynth with the rest. He then settled down to wait for his enemy to come to him so he could set his trap. And now they were here. Finally.

"You know what to do" he clipped as he continued to look at the oncoming army. The creature again said nothing before slipping away and disappearing into the shadows. He allowed himself a moment to smile before turning around to head back to the compound. He needed to change out of his robes if he was going to play his part.

"Elide, my darling girl. It's time to come home."

* * *

**Next Chapter: My Princess**


	2. Chapter 1: My Princess

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the _Throne of Glass _series or any of the wonderful characters and stories told by the lovely Sarah J. Maas.

**Summary:** "Elide, my darling girl. It's time to come home." (OR what if Vernon doesn't go down without a villainous, manipulative fight). KOA what if scenario.

* * *

**Chapter 1: My Princess**

Aelin's armies had moved in to the Ferian Gap to meet Erawan's horde. Expecting resistance.

But all was quiet.

Too quiet in Lorcan's opinion. This was Erawan's territory and where the witches had been training their wyverns. The fact that it appeared silent and empty only heightened his guard. It was one of the reasons he agreed to accompany Aelin up into the mountains when she asked. He was weary at what they would find up there. They all were.

* * *

Lorcan, Fenrys, Gavriel, Rowan, Chaol and his crew, and the southerners split up to search the compound.

And what they found was nothing.

The witches were gone and there was little else around besides a few terrified handlers. None the group voiced out loud their concerns on where Erawan's horde was wreaking havoc if not here. 'Probably north to Terresen,' Lorcan found himself thinking. Elide was not going to like that. He had left her down in the valley with Yrene. There was still much work to do healing soldiers after Anielle.

He and Fenrys had paired up and were currently searching an area that had probably been some kind of prison. If the smell was anything to go by. Or the residue of death. He didn't think to ask Fenrys. They had a job to do and besides, he didn't think Fenrys would respond anyway.

That was why not even ten minutes later, Fenrys' muttered, "Lorcan" was shocking. Lorcan whirled and turned back around the corner where he had left him. Fenrys only nodded toward a closed door, and Lorcan heard it. There was someone in there shuffling around. Lorcan nodded and Fenrys moved quickly, knocking the door down. Lorcan was inside before the door hit the floor.

A man, trainer by the look of him, was hiding, dropping to the floor as the door crashed to the ground. He was wearing what could be charitably called rags and his face was covered in dirt and wyvern blood. The smell was overwhelming. Lorcan took in the sight of the man, as Fenrys said, "sir, please come with us to join the rest of your kind." Pulling the man up, Fenrys was firm, but not unkind. The man said nothing and put up little resistance as Fenrys and Lorcan returned to the group.

When they returned to the dining hall they pushed the man toward the other men the group had rounded up. Gavriel was keeping an eye on them, a group of about 40, Lorcan noticed that most of them looked like half-starved boys.

He turned and headed to where Rowan was standing across the room to see what was happening next-

"What the rutting _HELL_ are you doing here, Vernon."

Lorcan spun at Aelin's voice, he hadn't realized she had been leaning on the wall next to the door they had walked through. He watched as she marched right up to the man, that now he actually looked, didn't belong at all to the group of men they had rounded up. He was too old. Aelin's face had turned dangerous, and the man, Vernon, only smiled back at her. Lorcan's hackles rose.

"Hello, princess. Haven't seen my niece anywhere recently, have you?" followed by a mock bow.

Lorcan barely recognized what his fist was doing when it smashed into Vernon's face. So quickly and immediate was his rage, only intensifying at the mention of Elide. Rowan, Fenrys, and Gavriel weren't far behind. Rowan was snarling while also moving Aelin away. Gavriel glared at the man and helped Fenrys haul him away from the crowd. Lorcan noticed Nesryn and the Prince move in to keep an eye on the rest of rounded up group, hands casually resting in a defensive position, ready to fight.

He couldn't believe Vernon was here. God damn Vernon. Who had done more than destroyed Elide's life, he had let her think she was nothing. Not to mention actively play a part in destroying Aelin's childhood. And Lorcan had let him almost get away. He clenched and unclenched his fists in frustration. The man had been hiding like a coward, dressed like a trainer, but smart enough to mask his scent. He eyed the man who had caused so much grief for Terrasen and had worked so hard to destroy Elide's light.

He watched the man slowly get back to his feet. Then Vernon started laughing. Looking around at all assembled, laughing. Lorcan felt the hair on his neck stand up.

"You're all here," he said, "wonderful." Looking at Aelin. Looking back at Lorcan.

Chaol stuck his head into the hall after the commotion and was directing Gavriel and Fenrys to a room down the hall. Vernon's laughs echoed down the hall.

Lorcan made eye contact with Aelin and knew the death he saw in her eyes was reflected in his own. "Make sure he's well secured," Aelin growled.

"Our pleasure, Lady," Gavriel replied as he exited the room.

The remaining group who had travelled with them Borte, Falkan, Nesryn, and Sartaq closed ranks around the remaining men while looking at Aelin with expressions ranging from polite interest to raging curiosity. It was Chaol who broke the silence reentering the dining hall, "so that's Lord Vernon of Perranth? I never met him, but heard rumors growing up."

Aelin nodded before adding, "he's responsible for the death of Elide's family and my own, betraying Terrasen. Then he sided with Erawan in the war. He's been living in Morath, and took Elide with him." She didn't say anymore, but he could feel the tension growing in the room as the others caught up on what that meant.

Chaol nodded and assumed a position with the others. Aelin, Rowan and Lorcan stalked into the hall.

Lorcan could hardly stand it. Vernon's abuse. His power was thrashing against him as it sought to destroy Vernon, but Lorcan kept it leashed. Gritting his teeth he turned to Aelin and said, "what do you plan to do?"

Aelin didn't have a chance to respond before Fenrys and Gavriel met them in the hall. "He's well restrained" was all Gavriel said.

Rowan, who had remained silent through most of this exchange spoke up and asked, "Aelin, do you _want_ to talk to him?"

"No. But we better go find out what the hell he's doing here." She stomped over to where Gavriel and Fenrys stood. Before going in she turned, making eye contact with Lorcan specifically, and said, "do not kill him. Elide gets the final word."

Lorcan groaned but nodded his assent along with Rowan, Gavriel and Fenrys. Then she opened the door.

* * *

"My dear Vernon, what the hell are you doing here?" was the first sickly sweet question that crossed her mouth.

"Why, looking for you of course," was his response. "And of course, always on the lookout for Elide. You know she has a habit of running off. You haven't seen her by any chance?"

Aelin said nothing. Lorcan's knuckles cracked.

After a beat of silence, Vernon kept going, "You're right, I know she's around here somewhere. No matter. In other news, I heard about the beach and your residency with Queen Maeve-"

"I would be careful with your words," Rowan fiercely interjected, taking a step forward.

"Rowan, it's fine. This bastard can't hurt me." Aelin's eyes glittered. "You haven't answered my question though, Vernon, why are you here? Tell me something interesting."

"I did say. I'm here because you're all here," breaking his eye contact with Aelin to take in the fae males in the room. "I knew you'd all come up here." His eyes swept back to her. "Had I known you'd grow into such a queen, perhaps I would not have bothered to kneel for Adarlan." A sly smile then, "So different from your parents. Did your father ever torture a man?"

Aelin rolled her eyes, "I think one punch to the face hardly counts as torture. I know you don't really know me, but I don't play fucking games. We found you here. Hiding. If I didn't know better, one might think Erawan's favor had shifted elsewhere. Now answer the question, or-" and she turned and made a pointed look toward Lorcan who needed no extra invitation. His dark magic filled the room, surrounding Vernon.

Vernon coughed, but his smile didn't fade. "Ah, Lorcan Salvaterre. We didn't have the pleasure last time. Elide told me -" he was abruptly cut off as Lorcan's magic converged.

"Don't you dare speak her name" he growled taking a step closer.

Vernon neck muscles convulsed as he writhed beneath his binds. Aelin put a hand on Lorcan's forearm, "Enough, I think he gets the idea." Lorcan reluctantly backed off and stepped back. His magic guttered. Vernon's punctuated gulping breaths filled the room.

Aelin crossed her arms and moved to stand directly in front of Vernon. She said nothing. He didn't either, but his eyes reflected his growing defiance before saying, "Perhaps Erawan stationed me here for a reason, Majesty."

"I think you were cast aside. I think you outlived your usefulness, especially after you failed to recapture Elide, and Erawan didn't feel like entirely getting rid of you. So here's where you ended up. The lovely Ferian Gap."

"It is lovely here in the spring," he crooned.

Aelin glared, reiterating, "Vernon tell me why you're here, tell me something interesting."

"Would you believe, I'm here for Elide? I've realized the errors of my ways as a parent and came to make amends. Call it an uncle's remorse if you will."

"Well she's not here," it was Lorcan who spat the response. Aelin only snorted before pulling out one of her knives.

"Fine, here's something interesting- Maeve has come to Morath."

The whole room started. Vernon seemed pleased as he looked around the room.

"Did she bring her army?" Rowan spoke up from the door, although he didn't look at Vernon, he kept his eyes on Aelin.

"No she brought no one but herself."

"Did you learn what Maeve and Erawan plan to do?" Aelin asked.

"Face you, I'd wager. World domination and all that. Not too hard to figure out, really." Vernon replied, "Now where's my niece? I'd very much like to talk to her."

Aelin too sweetly said, "You will not hurt her again. And you'll only see if her if she wills it."

"What mighty company she keeps these days." Vernon countered. Shifting his head to look at Lorcan. This time speaking to Lorcan directly, Vernon said, "You're all here, so where is she? Nearby I'd assume."

Lorcan didn't need him to elaborate. "No need for you to know, she's not your concern."

Vernon's eyes narrowed before his whole face lit up in a grin. "Oh, I think you'll find she is. After all she is my ward and my responsibility." Lorcan bared his teeth and growled. He felt Fenrys, Gavriel and Rowan all tensing beside him. Something was wrong.

"Funny she's not here, Elide" he continued. "Or maybe not, I always told her she didn't belong in such company," switching eye contact back towards Aelin.

Aelin scoffed, "You're not nearly as important as you seem to think you are. And Elide is no longer your concern."

"I think you'll find she is." This time all banter gone. "Erawan has plans for her and so do I." His gaze shifted to Lorcan.

* * *

It abruptly clicked for Lorcan. What he was getting at, we were here, but Elide was -

No.

No way.

He was moving. He was sprinting back to the camp. They had left her alone and unprotected. He had left her. Vernon was here. Lorcan should have known Vernon was stalling. He had already witnessed the lengths Vernon was willing to go to get her back. And Maeve, _Maeve_ who had _seen_ Elide on the beach. Had used Elide on that beach. Who had _threatened_ Elide on the beach, and GOD DAMN IT. He was an idiot.

It took a fleeting moment to realize Fenrys was sprinting behind him. He reached out to Lorcan and Lorcan felt the world shift. They were outside Yrene's tent. He barged in. Yrene was folding some linens and jumped as she turned to see a manic Lorcan and panting Fenrys.

"Where is she!" Lorcan yelled. Yrene felt dread as she said, "she left with Borte maybe ten minutes ago. Borte said that they found her uncle at the mountain and you had called for her to come."

Lorcan felt the shadow of terror. Then a consuming rage.

Elide was gone.

* * *

**Next Chapter: My Promise**


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